The Research project deals with the synergistic health effects of maternal protein deficiency along with carbon monoxide (CO) exposure at different concentrations and durations, on the unborn. A factorial split-plot experimental design will be used for the project. Pregnant mice will be maintained on deficient protein diets during gestation and exposed to low concentrations of CO during 1st-trimester, 1st-2-trimesters or 3-trimesters of pregnancy. The trimester CO exposure will consist of 6 hours exposure per day for 5 days per week. Animals will be sacrificed on gestation day 18. Their uterine horns will be examined for number and positions of resorptions and number of live and dead fetuses will be recorded. Live fetuses will be examined for gross, internal and skeletal malformations. Thus the project will yield valuable information on the synergistic effects of gestational protein deficiency, CO exposure and durations, on birth defects. Undergraduate minority students will participate for biomedical training and research during all phases of the project. The students will learn to search literature for the project. They will define problems, make hypotheses to solve the problems and carry out small experiments to test the hypotheses. They will collect, analyze and interpret data. They will learn the use and care of laboratory animals, and procedures and techniques used in the project. They will present their data at the scientific meetings and learn to write scientific papers.